Gypsy Magic: The Yoska Frescka Chronicles

Chapter 12: Stumbling in the Dark

Yoska sits up in his bed, waiting for the night to progress. His heart is beating out of his chest as he imagines what awaits him at the witch's statue. At the same time, he cannot help but acknowledge the rumblings of his instincts as he thinks over Sophia's message. Not only was it out of character for Delia to use messengers, their interactions had always been direct at least, but also the location was odd. Had she wanted to meet, why not during the day? The more Yoska thinks about it, the more holes begin to appear in Delia's plan. If it had been privacy she wanted, why not ask to meet in the Ravenclaw field house; a place where only Yoska could get them into as captain.

To keep his mind off the obvious signs, and to pass the time, Yoska unrolls one of the scrolls he keeps under his pillow and takes a swig of the grey potion he had given Sophia. The parchment is a deep yellow and smells of dirt and the passage of time. It is not even legible for the most part, written in a series of strange ruins. It is a language long thought dead, one that required a reference of ancient ruins and much guesswork on Yoska's part. Under the low light of his wand, Yoska starts to examine the scroll again.

Muttering in Romani, Yoska continues trying to decipher its secrets. In the center of the ancient scroll is an outline of a sword. Forged through alchemic, magical, and mundane means, this sword is a weapon not seen in the wizarding world for a thousand years. Yoska scratches his head as he tries to unravel the secret to what he is reading. From what he is able to guess, these swords were conduits of magical energy. Like goblin silver, they are virtually indestructible and immune to rust. Spells could be performed through the blades, much like a wand, and the weapon itself still carries the cutting power of a regular sword. The further Yoska reads, the more amazed he is with the weapon. According to the ruins, the sword actually amplified the wielder's natural magical talents by a scale of ten. Yoska imagine what sort of power his regular spells would have under such conditions. If the scroll is to be believed, Yoska's own papen spell would evolve into a true storm.

Yet I cannot make one, Yoska thinks to himself, The process of creating a sword like this is not mentioned, only it's properties. Simple alchemy or magically enhanced steel is not enough. There is something else. Something I'm missing.

Being the last Romani Sorcerer, Yoska's only reference are these scrolls and the history books that mention his magical heritage. The Romani Sorcerers had used swords in their crusade across Europe, and only the Hogwarts founders had been able to stand against them. As a result, the wizards of Europe had done all in their power to erase the magical history of the Romani Sorcerers. Any books, scrolls, Pensieves, anything that would allow someone to access their ancient magic, had been destroyed long before Yoska had been born. Yoska's people had been thrown to the wolves, only the faintest of memories of the power they had once wielded. An extinct race of wizards and warriors, wiped from the pages of history forever.

Until me, Yoska solemnly reminds himself, The first gypsy born with the potential for magic in a thousand years.

Yoska pauses, rubbing his eyes. Once again he imagines wielding the awesome power of his ancestors. Those that had waged war on Europe had been the equal of Albus Dumbledore, Gregorovitch, and maybe even He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. While an impressive bit of magic, Yoska's own Romani spells were painfully average in comparison, only as effective as they were surprising. Papen had been the first Romani spell he had translated from the cluster of ancient scrolls under his bed, and was the spell had had come the closest the mastering. Luck manipulation was too dangerous to use, and immoral. Sensory magic, the third branch, is something Yoska knows he can never truly master. Like the European wizard branch of Divination, Sensory Romani magic could be used to perceive the past, present, and future. Ironically, this was this branch Yoska knows the most about. In a cruel twist of fate however, it is made clear by all sources that only Romani women can master this power, men are for the most part blocked from unlocking its full potential. Most disturbing of all though, Yoska had seen spells dealing with the concept of essence transfer. Essence transfer is the ability to move one's soul from one body to another, an idea that had caused Yoska to nearly vomit. Yet, Yoska knows that it is his duty to learn all that he can.

But I can't be trusted with that kind of power, Yoska bitterly thinks to himself as he puts the scroll away, But if not me, then who else?

Shaking his head, Yoska changes into his schools robes. After checking his hair in the mirror, Yoska grabs his wand and makes his way out of the Ravenclaw dorm. Hogwarts is quiet, its students and teachers having gone to bed long before this. Moving from shadow to shadow, Yoska listens carefully for any sign of a professor of Flitch. His process is slow, as every footstep seems to echo and every breath he takes acting like a beacon for Flitch to find him.

More than once Yoska was forced to throw himself against a pillar and hold his breath. Flitch's cat could be heard occasionally, as though she had Apperated around the school. Though slow and painful, Yoska finally sees the witch with one eye. Standing next to the statue is a hooded figure. Between the darkness of the corridor the hood, Yoska can barely make out any of the person's features. Yoska guess that the hooded figure must be females, as she uses slender finger to call him over.

Turn around, a voice in Yoska's head tells him, It's a trap.

Ignoring his own good advice, Yoska steps forward. As he begins to walk the hooded woman touches the statue, causing it to reveal a hidden passage way. Hiding his surprise, Yoska follows the figure into the tunnel. Behind him, the statue closes. They stand in total darkness, the only sound coming from water dripping from the ceiling.

"Delia?" Yoska asks, reaching for his wand, "Is it you?"

"No gyppo," A cruel voice answers, "But close."

As Yoska tries to raise a shield, his body freezes up. He crashes to the ground, smacking his jaw on the stone floor. No matter how hard he tries, Yoska cannot break free of the full body bind he finds himself in. Even his voice does not work, having been silenced by a second curse afflicted on him.

"Don't bother gyppo," Asclepias tells him as she illuminates the cave with her wand, "There isn't anything you can do. Your body is frozen and your voice has been silenced."

Yoska glares angrily up at her, curing himself for his own stupidity. He had known this was a trap, he knew Delia. Only someone like Asclepius would sneak around like this. What's more, he had let himself be caught unawares. The second he knew it was a trap, he should have summoned as much magic as he could around himself as a shield. Instead, he had been out foxed easily by someone who had a strong vendetta against him.

"Impressive, no?" Asclepias taunts, "Your skills lie in potions, mine in silent wand work. Something I recall you struggling with this year in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ironic, isn't it?"

"Of course, I knew all I had to do was offer you a chance of Delia wanting to return your feelings for her and you would into my trap," Asclepias continues, "You're pathetic gyppo, I really cannot believe this worked."

Yoska moans, the effects of her silencing charm beginning to wear off. While she had been talking, Yoska had started to focus on the counter curses required to break the spells she had used on him. It is only partially effective, and he still finds himself at her mercy.

"Now that I have your attention," Asclepias says, grabbing his hair and pulling him upwards, "I need something from you."

"In Albania, there is something my father is very interested in collecting. A series of scrolls. Very ancient magic, very powerful in the wrong hands. You're going to be going there this summer, and when you get back you'll give them to my father."

"And if I refuse?" Yoska struggles to say.

"Then I oust you as an addict," Asclepias threatens, holding up a flash with a familiar grey liquid, "Recognize this? I knew you were on something gyppo, and now I have proof."

"It's a calming potion," Yoska calmly says, testing the loosening restraints, "I take it to help me sleep. Finals are coming up you know."

"Sophia's a bit smarter than you think," Asclepias tells him with a sinister grin, "All it took was some make-up and Hufflepuff robes and you gave her exactly what I wanted. She's a very good actor, mixing the truth with an adorable little stutter to tell perfect lies. And you fell for it. We both know you've been taking an illegal potion for years."

"Clever," Yoska admits, hiding the fact that Professor Snape had originally given him the potion, "But if you don't mind me asking, why me?"

"Two reasons," Asclepias says, "One, it's dangerous. I was going to ask Delia to do it for me, but I cannot put my cousin in danger like that."

"Delia's going to be there?" Yoska asks, perking up, "Why?"

"Her father is part of an international task force that regulates magical creatures," Asclepias explains, "Even if you don't care about losing your spot on the Quidditch team and being expelled, I know you'll go just to see her."

"Blackmail and bait. Clever Asclepias," Yoska says, "But if I may ask, what is the second reason?"

"The scrolls are said to be guarded by strange magic. And you know all about that," Asclepias tells him, "Your so called gypsy magic might be the key to unlocking it. Pick your reason, but you belong to me now, gypsy."

With that, she drops him. Yoska can barely yell out as she leave him in the dark tunnel for the spell to wear off. The last vestiges of light disappear when the statue returns to its original position. Whispering in Romani, Yoska calls on the wind to help him stand up. The spell assailing his body begins to wear off, and Yoska can begin to move his arms and again.

The worst part is, she's right, Yoska thinks to himself as he undoes the spell with his wand, Snape's potion was never meant to be used by students. When I asked him for the recipe my first year, he had told me that it was illegal outside of Mungo's. If it gets out that I learned how to brew that from him, Professor Snape could lose his job.

Yoska shakes his head, trying to figure out what to do. When suddenly it hit shim. Sitting alone in the dark, Yoska begins to smile. Asclepias had factored in quite a bit when she had blackmailed him. Albania would have to be his first stop this summer, as those scrolls could contain more of the legacy of the Romani Sorcerers. However, he decides that letting someone like Asclepias keep even a singly artifact of his people's history would be a greater disgrace than anything he could do in his lifetime.

If a potion got me into this mess, Yoska thinks to himself, Then a potion will get me out of it.